out.
“Come on, Isaiah!” Jake yelled. “We need a hit.”
Isaiah came through, slashing a single to right center field. Jake was off at the crack of the bat, sprinting around second base and sliding into third. The Red Sox had runners at the corners, first and third, with one out.
Coach Sanders stepped away from the Red Sox bench and looked directly at Jake. “Make sure a line drive gets past the infield. Be ready to run,” the coach said.
Evan got into his batter’s stance and snuck a quick glance at Coach Sanders. The coach wiped his right hand across his chest and grabbed the bill of his cap with both hands.
The bunt signal,
Jake thought, standing on third.
Coach is going to try to win the game on a squeeze play!
Jake checked the Dodgers third baseman. He was standing several steps behindthird base.
This just might work,
Jake told himself.
The Dodgers pitcher wound up and threw hard. At the last moment, Evan squared around and knocked a slow roller down the third-base line.
Jake was off, sprinting toward home.
“First base, first base!” the Dodgers pitcher called as the third baseman fielded the ball. The Dodgers didn’t even try to get Jake at home. Instead, they threw the ball to first.
The squeeze play had worked!
“Great job, Evan! Way to go!” Coach Sanders was grinning from ear to ear. The Red Sox were ahead, 2–1!
The team flew onto the field after the third out, filling the infield with chatter.
“One-two-three inning.”
“Nothing but strikes.”
“Tight defense.”
The leadoff hitter for the Dodgers rapped a hard grounder to shortstop. Adam fielded it cleanly, but threw low to first base. Khalil, the Red Sox first baseman, scooped the throw out of the dirt. One out.
Everybody is making plays,
Jake thought as Khalil tossed the ball back to Sam, the new Red Sox pitcher.
Chris, Hannah, Michael, Khalil. The whole team.
Two straight singles wiped the smile off Jake’s face. Suddenly the Dodgers had runners at first and third, with one out. Coach Sanders called time-out and walked slowly to the pitcher’s mound. The Red Sox infielders gathered around.
“All right, here’s what we’ll do,” he said as he eyed the base runner. “Isaiah and Khalil play in front of the bags at first and third. I don’t want them trying a bunt like we did.”
“What about Jake and me?” Adam asked.
“You guys play back. If the ball comes to you, try for the double play, just like we practiced.”
Coach Sanders put his hand on Sam’s pitching shoulder. “Try to keep your pitches low in the strike zone,” he instructed. “Maybe we can get a ground ball.”
Sam threw a low fastball. The Dodgers hitter smashed a hard grounder up the middle. Adam quickly raced over, snapped theball up in his glove, and flipped the ball to second base.
Jake was ready. He caught Adam’s throw, touched second base with his left foot, and, just like in practice, pivoted toward first base. Jake knew his throw would have to be hard and quick. He gave it all he had. The ball smacked into Khalil’s mitt just before the runner flashed across the bag.
“You’re out!” the umpire called.
A double play. The game was over. The Red Sox had won the championship, 2–1!
A wild celebration erupted in the middle of the field. All the Red Sox raced to the pitcher’s mound, jumping up and down and throwing their hats and mitts into the air. Jake saw Adam laughing and smiling with all of their teammates, just like before.
Then it suddenly hit him: This might be Adam’s last game for the Red Sox.
Chapter
16
J ake sat on the edge of his bed. The other bed was stripped of its blanket and sheets. The mattress was bare.
Earlier in the day, Jake’s father had taken Adam back home on his way to a meeting. Now Jake’s house seemed empty and quiet without his “big brother.” He looked over at the Red Sox schedule where Adam had penciled in the team’s 2–1 win in nine innings in the championship game. Then he heard a
“Come on, Isaiah!” Jake yelled. “We need a hit.”
Isaiah came through, slashing a single to right center field. Jake was off at the crack of the bat, sprinting around second base and sliding into third. The Red Sox had runners at the corners, first and third, with one out.
Coach Sanders stepped away from the Red Sox bench and looked directly at Jake. “Make sure a line drive gets past the infield. Be ready to run,” the coach said.
Evan got into his batter’s stance and snuck a quick glance at Coach Sanders. The coach wiped his right hand across his chest and grabbed the bill of his cap with both hands.
The bunt signal,
Jake thought, standing on third.
Coach is going to try to win the game on a squeeze play!
Jake checked the Dodgers third baseman. He was standing several steps behindthird base.
This just might work,
Jake told himself.
The Dodgers pitcher wound up and threw hard. At the last moment, Evan squared around and knocked a slow roller down the third-base line.
Jake was off, sprinting toward home.
“First base, first base!” the Dodgers pitcher called as the third baseman fielded the ball. The Dodgers didn’t even try to get Jake at home. Instead, they threw the ball to first.
The squeeze play had worked!
“Great job, Evan! Way to go!” Coach Sanders was grinning from ear to ear. The Red Sox were ahead, 2–1!
The team flew onto the field after the third out, filling the infield with chatter.
“One-two-three inning.”
“Nothing but strikes.”
“Tight defense.”
The leadoff hitter for the Dodgers rapped a hard grounder to shortstop. Adam fielded it cleanly, but threw low to first base. Khalil, the Red Sox first baseman, scooped the throw out of the dirt. One out.
Everybody is making plays,
Jake thought as Khalil tossed the ball back to Sam, the new Red Sox pitcher.
Chris, Hannah, Michael, Khalil. The whole team.
Two straight singles wiped the smile off Jake’s face. Suddenly the Dodgers had runners at first and third, with one out. Coach Sanders called time-out and walked slowly to the pitcher’s mound. The Red Sox infielders gathered around.
“All right, here’s what we’ll do,” he said as he eyed the base runner. “Isaiah and Khalil play in front of the bags at first and third. I don’t want them trying a bunt like we did.”
“What about Jake and me?” Adam asked.
“You guys play back. If the ball comes to you, try for the double play, just like we practiced.”
Coach Sanders put his hand on Sam’s pitching shoulder. “Try to keep your pitches low in the strike zone,” he instructed. “Maybe we can get a ground ball.”
Sam threw a low fastball. The Dodgers hitter smashed a hard grounder up the middle. Adam quickly raced over, snapped theball up in his glove, and flipped the ball to second base.
Jake was ready. He caught Adam’s throw, touched second base with his left foot, and, just like in practice, pivoted toward first base. Jake knew his throw would have to be hard and quick. He gave it all he had. The ball smacked into Khalil’s mitt just before the runner flashed across the bag.
“You’re out!” the umpire called.
A double play. The game was over. The Red Sox had won the championship, 2–1!
A wild celebration erupted in the middle of the field. All the Red Sox raced to the pitcher’s mound, jumping up and down and throwing their hats and mitts into the air. Jake saw Adam laughing and smiling with all of their teammates, just like before.
Then it suddenly hit him: This might be Adam’s last game for the Red Sox.
Chapter
16
J ake sat on the edge of his bed. The other bed was stripped of its blanket and sheets. The mattress was bare.
Earlier in the day, Jake’s father had taken Adam back home on his way to a meeting. Now Jake’s house seemed empty and quiet without his “big brother.” He looked over at the Red Sox schedule where Adam had penciled in the team’s 2–1 win in nine innings in the championship game. Then he heard a
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